SURREY County Council (SCC) has announced the next stage of plans to redevelop a mainly-disused Victorian school site.

The proposals for the site in Cedar Road, Cobham, which will provide a larger library for the town and space for a youth centre, were agreed by the executive in June and will be marketed this week.

The site currently comprises a small library and a number of vacant buildings, with their origins in Victorian times.

As part of the council’s leveraging assets programme, it is planned that part of the land be sold off to help pay for the new facilities.

County council executive member for support services Ian Lake said: “This is the first project in Surrey to be implemented and clearly shows the council’s commitment to improving the provision of local services across the county and I look forward to rolling the programme out across Surrey.”

However, Cobham historian David Taylor said that while he was not against the plans for new facilities, the core of the historic buildings had to be saved from demolition.

Citing the support of the Victorian Society and English Heritage, he said: “My main concern is that whatever happens in terms of SCC disposing of the land, the core of the buildings must be maintained.

"The 1860 school buildings are worthy of preservation and can be made into something else. If we lose these school buildings, it will destroy the heritage of the site and of Cobham.”

His view was echoed by chairman of the Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust, Gerry Acher, who said: “I welcome the announcement from SCC that the initial brief regarding the use of the buildings mainly for the community holds true.

“But we have two major concerns at the moment.

“First of all is our continuing concern about maintaining the original 1860s school as part of the new development.

“We think this could be an exciting space and bring the past and future together.

“And, secondly, if there is a delay because of the economic crisis in bringing this project to fruition, it is vital these old buildings are temporarily brought back into use for the community until the development can commence.”

On the possibility of a new youth facility, neighbourhood PC Lee Fabry said it would be good news for the young people of Cobham.

“That would be a fantastic initiative,” he said. “I will be working closely with the council to get this off the ground.

“At the moment, it is just me and my team who are doing things for the youths. There is nothing in Cobham.”